Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-01-13
GOV. ALGER's MESSAGE.


Gov. Alger in presenting his retiring
message, calls attention to the full report
of the various state officers which accomp-
any it, but which he does not feel called
on to summarize.
The treasurer's report shows that the
treasurer has in his possession
United States four and one-half per
cent. bonds to the amount of SOB, 900,
which balances the account. In a word,
however, il can be said that our state is
practically out of debt; consequently moth
! ing need be said of its credit, because it
! does not use il, nor is it probable that it
will ever have occasion to do so again.
Our state institutions are in the main,
| in excellent condition.
The Reform School for Boys, at Lansing,
| is doing great work. l recommend that
! the name be changed SO as to strike out
the word REFORM for the reason that it
! indicates punishment for offense / think
| the beneficial effect upon the morals OF the
boys who are brought up in it will be bet
ter without the faint, and especially so in
after life. l also recommend that Il capa-
BILE man be employed at fixed salary TO
| find homes for the boys instead of keeping
| them in school so long, ard whose duty it
| shall be to look to their welfare after they
have been placed out. The sooner they
can be placed in homes and made to feel
that they occupy honorable places in life
| Ine DStUeT III Will De IOr Unem ana Une SUuCe.
| The Industrial School for Girls at Adrian
needs some careful attention and consid-
Grafton. The same rule will in a measure,
apply to that school about placing girls in
homes, that has just been recommended
| for the Reform School, A very great
wrong connected with this institution
should be righted at once. While there
are very many bad girls in the school,
there are quite a number of small
ones, and some larger ones. too,
who are sent there simply be-
cause they have no friends. They are
charged with 'vagrancy," and with being
yward'--anything to come under the
letter OF the law, to get rid of the care of
them. / recommend the enactment of q
law absolutely prohibiting the sending OF
any girl to that Institution that has not a
bad character. Also that the law be so
made that girls now there or hereafter
sent there, under any circumstances, of
that class, may be transferred to the Cold
water school direct, upon the consent of
the joint boards of the two institutions.
/ deem 1t my duty TO say concerning thi
school, with all Difference to the good
ladies who make up majority of the
board, that / think il would be for the de-
cided benefit of the institution, il its bust
ness affairs had more man management.
also believe IL would be better for the
girls IL none but mothers-and good ones,
too-had the care of them. think the in
stitution ought to have for its head man
and wife. I wish, however, to distinctly
say that l believe all people connected
with IL are acting to the best Of their
ability in conducting it.
The Coldwater school in twelve years
has received nearly AGO children, and
placed In homes over 1000 of them. This
institution has the great advantage OF a
special agent, (which have recommended
for the reform school and school for girls,
who spends the greatest part of his time in
finding homes for the children, and look
ing, after them after they are placed In
such homes.
The State Prison at Jackson Is an "old
trap" and ought TO be thoroughly over
hauled. The Ionia House OF Correction Is
in excellent condition. The State Prison
for the Upper Peninsula has filed its
annual report. The work OF construction
Is progressing in a satisfactory manner.
The site Is a beautiful one and the sur
roundings all that could be desired for any
state Institution.
The four insane asylums have made re-